Hurtling down Stoke Bank, near Grantham, on July 3 1938, the No 4468 Mallard became the fastest train in the world, hitting 126mph on the East Coast Main Line to narrowly eclipse the existing German record of 124mph, set two years previously.

When Audi’s latest A3 appeared last year it looked only subtly changed but was, under the skin, completely different and much better than before. Now there’s a Sportback version — slightly longer and with five instead of three doors.